Eyecup



c. D. LUKENS .FamZS, 1936.

EYECUP Filed June 24, 1933 9 CAARE/YCE D. Z. axe/vs,

Patented Jan. 28, 1936 I more srre I OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to eye cups and particularly to an eyecup arranged to seal itself against the orbital tissues so as to preventleakage of the bath from the cup.

It has been heretofore a source of considerable annoyance in bathing theeyes with suitable solutions that the solution would inevitably escapefrom the usual eye cup and run down the face of the bather. The eye cupswhich have heretofore been provided have, as a general rule, been formedof glass, and although an effort has been made to conform the rim of theeye cup in a general way to the shape of the orbital tissues, it is wellknown that the shape of the rim of the ordinary eye cup is seldom suchas will prevent the escape of the bath solution therefrom during use.Some efforts have also been made to provide rubber eye cups wherein thebath solution has been projected toward the eye as by syringe, but inthese devices as in the case of the glass eye cups some of the bathinevitably escapes between the flesh and the rim of the device andtrickles down the cheek.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an eye cupadapted to readily conform itself to the orbit and to have the partsthereof pressed into sealing contact with the orbital tissues so as toprevent the escape of the bath.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an eye cup havinga flexible bowl portion and a relatively stiifer, although somewhatflexible, rim portion arranged to readily adapt itself to the contour ofan orbit and to be pressed into sealing engagement therewith.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when thefollowing description is read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:-

Figure l is a view illustrating the position of the eye cup of thepresent invention when in use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the eye cup of the present inventionlooking into the bowl portion thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the eye cup of the presentinvention.

In accordance with the present invention generally stated an eye cup isformed of rubber and has a relatively flexible part so as to be operableto a slight extent in the same manner as the familiar vacuum cup. Theeye cup of the present invention is, however, provided with a rimportion which is of heavier section so as to be considerably stifferthan the flexible part of the cup so that upon distortion of theflexible part the rim portion although being to a slight extentdistorted is not distorted to a degree corresponding to the flexibleportion. By thus providing the eye cup with a heavier or reenforced rimportion, it is apparent that elongation of the rim is sub- 5 stantiallyprevented, although the edge thereof may be pressed into continuousengagement with the orbital tissues so as to provide an effective seal.

Referring now to the drawing for an illustra- 1o tive embodiment of theeye cup of the present invention the cup may be of rubber comprising abowl portion I having a crown 2 and a rim 3. As clearly shown in Figure3 the rim portion 3 is substantially heavier in section than is the bowlI so that the bowl I and particularly the crown 2 thereof is moreflexible and more readily distortable than the rim 3. From an inspectionof Figure 2 it will be apparent that the cup is generally elliptical inshape and in accordance with the usual practice the major axis of theellipse is arranged to extend in a transverse direction across the faceas shown in Figure 1.

As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 the edge of the rim portion 3 isarranged to conform to the usual shape of an orbit or eye socket 4. Itis evident, however, that the rim portion 3 is narrowed at 5 adjacentthe ends of the minor axis of the ellipse and with this arrangement, itwill be apparent that the rim portion 3 will be more flexible in theregions of 5 than in the regions 6 which are adjacent the ends of themajor axis of the ellipse and where, as clearly shown, the rim 3 iswider.

In accordance with the present invention the rim 3 although of heaviersection is, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, continuous on theinterior with the internal curvature of bowl I. This arrangementprovides a maximum of sanitation and enables the cup to be readilycleansed since there are no ledges or other obstructions on the interiorof the cup which might catch germs. Furthermore the cup may beinvaginated for washing.

In the use of the eye cup of the present invention a suitable quantityof eye bath I may be poured into the cup, as illustrated in Figure 3,and the cup then placed in position in the orbit 4 in the mannerillustrated in Figure 1. After the cup has been thus placed in position,pressure may be exerted upon the crown portion 2 of the bowl I as bypressure from a finger 8, shown in Figure l, to distort the crownportion, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. By thus distorting thecrown portion 2 of the cup it will be apparent that the narro parts ,5of rim 3 win be distorted to an extent sufficient to press the sameintofirm engagement with the orbital tissues While the heavy section of therim 3 prevents elongation or' extreme distortion of the rim to an extentwhich would permit bath Ito escape; The crown '2- having been pressedinto positi0n, shown in dotted lines, it will be apparent that the cupoper- 'skilled in the art "without departing from the ates to a slightextent in the manner of the well.

known vacuum cup, the edge of, the rim B'being in continuous engagementwith the orbital tissues so as to seal the cup against the flesh andthus prevent escape of the bath.

7 From the foregoing description it is apparent that many modificationsof I the eye cup hereinbefore described will present themselves to thosespirit of this invention and it is" to be distinctly "understood,therefore, that the cup illustrated in the drawings and hereinbefore:spcifically de- I scribed is merely-an example of onepracticalembodiment and that the invention is not limited n thereto.) Itis to be distinctly understood, therefore, thatsuch modification of theuse of such individual features, and subcombinations of features as donot depart'from the spirit of this invention are, although notspecifically described herein, contemplated by and within the scope ofthe appended claims. 7 r

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is: r

1. A rubber eye cup comprising a generally elliptical bowl having arelatively thin, flexible crown portion arranged to be distorted,'and arim portion substantially heavier than the crown, the, depth of said rimportion'decreasing progressively from the ends of the major axis'of theellipse:

toward the ends of the minor axis thereof.

12. An eye cup, comprising, a shallow resilient, stemless cup of ovoidshape having an eye-receiving opening at the side of "the ovoid, saidopening being provided withfla reinforced oval rim fitted to the contourof the orbit, the bottom of said cup being impressible toward the eyewhen in,

place thereon whereby to produce, by expelling air, suflicient suctionupon its resilient return to normal shape, to retain the cup and itsliquid content in place on the eye. y

j 3. An eye cup, comprising, a shallow resilient stemless cup of ovoidshape having an aye re-'- V ceiving opening at the side of the ovoid,said open- 7 ing being provided with a reinforced oval rim fitted to thecontour of the orbit; said cup being constructed of soft rubber andhaving a flexible bottom impressible toward the eye when in placethereon whereby to, produce, by expelling air,

sufficient suction upon its resilient returnto normal shape to retainthe cup and its liquid cone,

tent in place on the eye.

1 ,CLARENCE'D. LiIKENSJ

